Can't Take That Away
by Gensomaden-Saiyuki
Summary: [SasuIno? or SasuSaku] Sakura left Konoha for 3 years and now, she's back. But something surprised her when she returned, something that might cross the path of her destiny and her future.
1. Haruno Sakura Returns

"Good to have you back here in Konoha, Sakura." Kakashi greeted a beautiful pink-haired lady in the entrance of Konoha, "It's been three years since you left this village."  
  
Sakura was now a gorgeous woman. She left Konoha when she was seventeen, she was invited to be a ninja in one of the most highly-respected ninja organizations. Her pink hair fully grown upto her hips, irresistable curves, sparkling emerald green eyes and juicy lips, all the qualities of a lady can bee seen on her.  
  
She smiled at her sensei and said, "Arigato, Kakashi-sensei. Err... So, how're the others?"  
  
"Finished becoming jounins."  
  
"How about you?" she giggled.  
  
"Maybe I'm starting to grow old." he replied while sighing.  
  
"Didn't you marry yet?"  
  
"Marry? Who the hell will I marry? Okay, what's gotten into you?"  
  
"Oh nothing. I was just thinking that you got married to Anko or to Kurenai..."  
  
"No way!"  
  
"Hihihi... Okay, okay. I'll go to my house now."  
  
"See you sometime."  
  
Sakura waved at her sensei as they both go their ways. Sakura reached her house in no less than 10 minutes, just by walking. She grabbed her key inside her bag and unlocked the door. To her surprise, there was no dust to be seen. Kakashi suddenly appeared in a smoke and waved at Sakura.  
  
"Well, of course, from that looooooooong trip you had, I assigned some people to clean your house for you need a well deserved rest." Kakashi said.  
  
"Oh thank you! Anyway, does anyone know I'm here?"  
  
"Only the Anbus, the Hokage and the other senseis like me."  
  
"You mean, you didn't tell Naruto or Sasuke? Or even Hinata or Lee?"  
  
"I thought they wouldn't be interested since they've been busy training. Lee... Err... Should I even tell him?"  
  
"Augh! Never mind, sensei." Sakura yelled. Kakashi laughed and disappeared in a smoke. The next day... Sakura went walking around the village. She suddenly bumped on a person infront of her. She touched her nose and yelled, "CAN YOU AT LEAST NOT STOP ALL OF A SUD... Naruto?"  
  
"Sakura!!!" he shouted as he turned around. Everyone looked at the pink- haired girl and she can hear murmurs, "...Sakura? Since when did she come back?"  
  
"Yosh! Sakura's back! Uhmm, since when?" Naruto asked.  
  
"Since yesterday. Wow, you've grown tall! Not to mention that your hair also grew tall."  
  
"Yup!"  
  
"So where are the others? Sasuke, where is he?"  
  
"Sasuke, the bastard?"  
  
Sakura punched him on the face, "Don't call him a bastard, jerk!"  
  
"OUCH! Why'd you do that? Anyway, he lives about ten blocks from the park."  
  
"Okay! Thank you! Catcha' later!"  
  
"Ja!"  
  
Sakura ran her way to Sasuke's house. "He moved to new place, why?" she thought. She reached the doorsteps of his house and she panted for a while and she inhaled and exhaled. She put herself together and knocked on the door. The door flung open and she said, "I'm back."  
  
Sasuke's eyes widened to see her. "Sa... Sakura?! Back? Since when?" Sasuke was handsome than ever. He was well-built! Macho to make it simple.  
  
"Since yesterday. I came back since my boss told me I could get a vacation, like so. How about you?"  
  
"Me. Uhm... I'm... I'm getting married in a month."  
  
Sakura felt like a thousand or maybe a million kunais and shurikens stabbed every part of her body. She stopped her tears to fall and she smiled at him and sighed.  
  
"To whom?"  
  
"To me!" a voice said behind Sasuke replied. It was Ino. Not much of a change from her. "Welcome back, Sakura! You heard my darling correct, we're getting married! Isn't that wonderful?!"  
  
Sakura clenched her left fist which was hiding on her back. She supported her smile with a giggle.  
  
"Of course it is, Ino! It's very good welcome back gift for me. Uhmm... I still have to visit the others, so... Err... Gotta go! Have a memorable wedding!" And she waved goodbye at them and walked away. She wanted to run but she would look defeated by Ino so she just walked in a normal pace and Ino shouted, "Oh we will! Right, honey?"  
  
"Err... Yes, Ino." he replied as he blankly stared at the pink-haired girl. When she was about three blocks away from the house, she ran with tears rolling down her cheeks. It became very dark and she can hear thunder and she can see the flashes of lightning as she ran. Rain water started to slap her face and pass by her long hair.  
  
She stopped under a cherry blossom tree and she sat under it. The wind grew cold and she brought her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her leg, leaned her head on her knees and cried some more. 


	2. Mission

"Why the hell am I crying? I'm supposed to be happy for Sasuke, he's getting married and he'll be happy with Ino. And, and, Ino is my best friend! I'll be happy too... Just... if... I start to forget about him, and I'll be happy!" she thought.  
  
When she arrived home, she took a hot bath and stopped crying. After bathing, she lied down on her bed and closed her eyes.  
  
**Flashback  
  
**(((Three years ago...)))  
  
"Sasuke, I'm going to leave Konoha because I was invited to work as a ninja in a ninja organization, to be precise, the organization's name is Stealth Rams. I don't know when will I come back but please wait for me." Sakura told Sasuke who was listening to her every word. It was nightfall and they were sitting on a bench in the park. No one was there on the road, no one was there in the park, they were there, under the moonlight and the stars.  
  
Sasuke placed his hand on Sakura's cheek and the other one on her hand and answered, "I'll wait for you. And when you come back, I promise you that we will never be apart again. Always bear in your mind that you have a place in my heart always and forever. I love you, Sakura... You're the only one I love."  
  
He bent closer to kiss her and when their lips touched each other, they were lost in one another's arms.  
  
**End of Flashback  
**  
Sakura buried her head under her pillow and continued crying.  
  
"Please, stop crying, Sakura. You'll forget him eventually! Right, you'll forget him in no time. As soon as he gets married, I'll forget him! That's it! I'll live a peaceful life again. And else, he's happy then I'm happy. There are more guys out there for me, and I'm sure I won't live alone! So what's there to cry about?" she whispered.  
  
The next day... Sakura woke up. She grabbed her robe and sat on a chair infront of a mirror. She brushed her long, straight, magnificent pink hair until somebody knocked on her door, "Mail for Haruno Sakura!"  
  
"Leave it on my doorstep, thank you!" she replied. She approached the door and flung it open. She found one envelope and a scroll. She grabbed them and closed the door. She sat on her bed and opened the envelope and she read on...  
  
"To: Haruno Sakura, you are invited to the wedding of Sasuke and Ino which will take place on the first day of next month. You are asked to be the maid of honor of Ino on her wedding day. We all hope that you can come to the happiest moment in our lives. Thank you, from Sasuke and Ino."  
  
Sakura kept the letter in her drawer and opened the scroll and it says...  
  
"To the sixth member of Team 12, Haruno Sakura. This is an order from the Captain of the Stealth Rams. You have to return to the organization in a week's time. We will fetch you and the others who are in Konoha. The Stealth Rams' ship will be seen on 4:30 in the afternoon after 7 days in a harbor just outside Konoha village. Gathering of members will be 4:30 P.M. sharp and we will leave at 4:45 P.M. Have a nice day, this is from the Boss of the Stealth Rams."  
  
_Oh shit... Now my vacation's cut off short. Well, at least I won't be staying in that wedding. It is indeed much better to stay with the Stealth Rams than to stay with 'THEM' next month. _Sakura said to herself.  
  
"Sakura!!!" someone shouted on the door. She rolled the scroll and popped it into the drawer. She ran to the door and opened it. It was a blonde-haired boy wearing a sheepish grin.  
  
"Ohayou gozaimas, Naruto. What brings you here?" she asked.  
  
"Kakashi-sensei says we'll be going on an important mission. So you have to go with us right away."  
  
"Sure. Wait for me, I'll just prepare myself."  
  
She gently closed the door and dressed up in her room. She ponytailed her hair and rushed downstairs. She opened the door and Naruto was still there.  
  
"All ready? Make sure everything's with you. Kunais... Shurikens..."  
  
"I have them all! Let's go now!" she yelled.  
  
"Okay, okay, I'm just kidding! Geez, what's the need to be angry?"  
  
"I don't want to be late and scolded by Kakashi-sensei!!!"  
  
"Err... Whateva."  
  
When they arrived on the bridge, Kakashi was there along with Kurenai, Asuma, Gai and Anko who had both arms casted. Neji, Ten-Ten, Hinata, Shikamaru, Kiba and Shino were there, too. Naruto and Sakura arrived just in time.  
  
"So, let's get this started." Neji said.  
  
"Chotto matte. We're still waiting for two more members." Kurenai answered.  
  
"And who are those?" Kiba questioned.  
  
"The couple." Asuma replied.  
  
"I wonder what's taking them so long?!" Ten-Ten spoke. Sasuke was running towards the bridge and explained, "Minna, sorry I'm late. Ino can't come to this mission because I told her she has to arrange things for our wedding and..."  
  
"I heard enough excuses, Sasuke." Kakashi told him in a serious voice, "Minna, you still do remember Anko, the proctor of your second test in the Chuunin Exams, right?"  
  
"Hai." everyone said.  
  
"Well, as you can see, Anko has both arms casted. You have to escort her in the same forest you were in last time in the Chuunin Exams. You have to get her to the tower safely." Gai explained.  
  
"But why are we so many for this mission? I'm sure even just one team can handle this." Shino complained.  
  
Kurenai answered, "I don't want to hear any complains from any of you. Anko has a scroll that must be protected at all costs. And this scroll is so important, many people knows about it. Somebody can steal it and they can assassinate Anko. This order is also from the Hokage so be honored to do this mission."  
  
"Err... So how did Anko's arms got injured anyway?" Naruto asked, full of stupidity.  
  
"Unfortunately, you wouldn't be called here if Anko's arms aren't injured. Her arms got injured because of fighting assassins and burglars as soon as she got the scroll. and this broke her left shoulder and her right elbow. We need as many jounins like all of you to protect her and the scroll." Asuma answered.  
  
"Okay, so let's get this mission over with." Kakashi told them, "Asuma, Gai and I are going to attend a meeting with the Hokage. Kurenai will be with you as well in this mission. We'll leave everything to you now."  
  
Gai told Kurenai, "Kurenai, you are so beautiful, be careful and don't hurt yourself."  
  
She punched Gai on the face and yelled, "Urusai!!!" Asuma and Kakashi sweatdropped and so did Anko and the gathered teams on the bridge. Gai, Kakashi and Asuma left them and Anko said, "Can we get moving now?"  
  
"Certainly." Kurenai answered. Kurenai and Anko lead the teams to entrance #3 of the forest. Kurenai has the key and opened the padlock. She opened the gate and the teams went inside, followed by Anko then Kurenai who finished locking the gate.  
  
"Everyone, grab your kunais now. You don't know when enemies attack." Anko told them. 


	3. Mystifying Dark Fog

Everyone grabbed a kunai and after walking for a peaceful 34 minutes... They were suddenly covered with a dark fog. Suddenly, Sakura screamed at the top of her lungs and the scream faded.  
  
"Sakura, where are you?!" Kurenai shouted.  
  
"SHARINGAN!" Sasuke and Naruto said at the same time.  
  
"BYAKUGAN!" Neji and Hinata, too.  
  
"See anything, fellas?" Anko asked.  
  
"Nothing." the four replied.  
  
What they didn't know was that Sakura was kidnapped.  
  
"Who are you?!" she asked a man infront of her.  
  
"Sasuke?" she mumbled. The man exactly looked like the man she used to love. The man placed his hands on her cheeks and stared at her emerald eyes.  
  
"I know that you are the one that Sasuke treasures the most. Aren't you a member of the Stealth Rams?"  
  
"SO WHAT IF I AM?!"  
  
She grabbed a kunai and swung it in his direction but he evaded her attack. He laughed and told her, "You don't know me?"  
  
"Who cares if I don't? I don't give a damn on whatever your name is! My duty here is to protect the scroll that Anko has!"  
  
"Actually, I don't have any intention of getting the scroll that Anko has. I know that you're one of the fifteen guardians of one of the ancient scrolls that the Stealth Rams have. So, can you kindly give it to me?"  
  
"Are you stupid?! Why would I give it to someone like you?! And what did you do to the others?!"  
  
"Others? You mean those who are trapped in my night fog? They're doing fine. Don't worry, I won't leave a scratch on them. That is... As of now, they don't have any foes yet, but if you don't give the scroll that you and the other Stealth Rams are protecting, I will be forced to send assassins to your friends and to your soulmate, my brother, Uchiha Sasuke."  
  
Her eyes widened and she bellowed, "I see... If I'm not mistaken, you're Uchiha Itachi, am I correct? And another thing, Sasuke is getting married to Ino and I have no feelings for him! One more reminder, okay, I AM one of the guardians of the scroll you're looking for. You're looking for the scroll of the ancient jutsus from the Land of Mist, right? But unfortunately, the scroll's not with me so if I were you, I'll go for a chicken run now before a feather gets lost."  
  
"Really? You're such an arrogant girl who doesn't know what she's talking about and what kind of trouble you've just gotten in to."  
  
Sakura is now holding a kunai in both hands. She goes into a defensive position.  
  
"I bet you're as skillful as the captain of the Stealth Rams. This is going to be fun! It would be an honor for me to kill someone as beautiful as you!"  
  
"SHUT YOUR CRAP!"  
  
Meanwhile, ninjas started attacking the others. Anko was placed in the middle of the group and she is being protected. Suddenly a ninja was heading for her and she looked up. Kurenai was busy handling other ninjas so she yelled, "KIBA!!! WATCH OVER ANKO!!!"  
  
"Certainly!" he replied as he threw several shurikens to the ninja that was about to attack Anko.  
  
"How many are they?!!! They just keep coming!" Naruto complained.  
  
"If you just continue fighting, the numbers will decrease. So might as well shut your mouth to save energy for fighting, idiot." Neji told him.  
  
"Don't call me an idiot, bastard!"  
  
"Hey, hey! Stop fighting, Neji and Naruto! The enemies here are these ninjas!" Ten-Ten warned. The two boys just remained quiet after hearing this and continued fighting the ninjas.  
  
"Minna, I can sense chakras far east." Hinata told them.  
  
"Then, we better hurry up." Shino added as he commanded a swarm of killer bees to attack the ninjas.  
  
Shikamaru attacked the last ninja then he asked him before dying out, "What do you want from us?!"  
  
"I don't know. We're just obeying our boss's orders..." the ninja replied.  
  
"And who is your boss?" Sasuke surveyed.  
  
Before dying his last word was "....Uchiha..."  
  
"Itachi." Sasuke muttered, clenching his fists.  
  
"Like what Hinata-sama said, I can also sense those chakras now. They're in the east. It must be Sakura and the one who's responsible for kidnapping her! Let's go!" Neji told them. When they reached the place...  
  
"Just tell me, where is the scroll!!!" Itachi said, throwing balls of fire to Sakura who was now injured and is still evading it.  
  
"Like I said, why would a Stealth Ram like me, tell a complete idiot like YOU?!"  
  
"Itachi!!!" Sasuke yelled as he came to attack him.  
  
"Oh hello there, my dear brother! So nice to see you! You see, I'm about to finish the girl of your dreams! She's very stubborn!" Itachi told him.  
  
"Are you looking for the scroll that we have?" Kurenai asked.  
  
"No, I'm looking for the scroll that this girl has." Itachi said dodging the attacks of Sasuke and aiming a shuriken at Sakura. She wasn't able to evade it and this thing made a cut on her right shoulder.  
  
Itachi kicked Sasuke away and Sasuke was caught by his arms by his friends. Itachi punched Sakura on her abdomen and cornered her to a tree. She choked out some blood and he laughed again. 


	4. Meet Iyasuko Yamatari

"What scroll are you talking about? Stop harming the girl! The scroll's with me! Come and get it!" Anko shouted with bravery.  
  
Itachi stared at her and said, "I don't want your scroll! I want one of the seven scrolls that the Stealth Rams have! And this girl... She's a guardian of that scroll! So tell me now, pretty lady, where's the scroll from the Land of Mist? The one that the Mizukage gave?"  
  
"And why would I tell you? And how many times do I have to tell you that?" Sakura said.  
  
"I'll shut that rotten toad's mouth, Sakura!" Shikamaru said, "Shadow Binding tech..."  
  
"What the...?" Shikamaru thought. He can't move. Itachi already made the same thing to him.  
  
"This is not good." Kurenai whispered with a kunai in hand.  
  
"Stop this nonsense, Itachi! I'm your enemy not her!" Sasuke yelled at his brother.  
  
Itachi had that evil grin on his face again and turned to the girl with pink hair.  
  
"And as punishment for not telling me the whereabouts of the scroll..." Itachi postponed.  
  
He bent closer to her and bit her lower neck (you know the part where Orochimaru bit Sasuke?). Sakura screamed in pain while dark red smoke came out of Itachi's mouth after biting her.  
  
"I'll go for now. But I will find you if you are still alive, Stealth Ram!" he pointed out. Sakura's eyesight became blurry and she blacked out.  
  
The next day...  
  
"I already called for Iyasuko Yamatari, Sakura's boss, captain of the Stealth Rams. Maybe she has something for us." Asuma told Kakashi and Kurenai.  
  
Sakura was lying on a bed in the hospital, with high fever and she's sweating cold. Everyone who was on the same mission yesterday were gathered inside the room and Ino was now present inspite of her absence yesterday. Anko was safely returned to the tower by Neji, Kiba, Shino, Naruto and Kurenai. The other half, Hinata, Ten-Ten, Sasuke and Shikamaru took Sakura to the Konoha Hospital.  
  
Then, a woman with straight black hair upto her shoulders wearing a traditional ninja costume with a long, black, leather jacket on top of her outfit entered the room. She also had deep yellow eyes, a healthy, smooth and white skin. She had her arms crossed infront of her and a smirk on her face.  
  
"Good morning, minna." she greeted.  
  
"Hello, Iyasuko Yamatari." Kurenai greeted back.  
  
"And what can I help you? Want Stealth Rams around the village? Escort the Hokage? What?" Yamatari said.  
  
"None of those you mentioned, Yamatari. Your fellow Stealth Ram here, Haruno Sakura, had a jutsu casted on her. And Hokage-sama made mention that only the Stealth Rams developed the technique for this specialized jutsu. If she won't get the cure after 12 hours, she'll die. So we ask you, to please, please, please, please! Cure her!" Gai begged.  
  
Yamatari closed her eyes and sighed.  
  
"I know you." Neji muttered, "I met you the other day. You were fighting with a ninja from the Land of Sound." Yamatari's eyes slightly opened and gave a sharp look at Neji.  
  
"You must be good to accomplish the position of being a captain of the Stealth Rams." he continued.  
  
She smirked and said, "Hmph. So what if I am? Anyway, I don't think you won't last if you fight me."  
  
"Yamatari." Kakashi suddenly spoke while putting in his pocket his copy of Come Come Paradise, "Are you gonna heal my student or not? So if not, I'd call a funeral..."  
  
"Don't do that just yet." she bursted out, "I know her. That's Haruno Sakura, sixth out of eight members registered in Stealth Ram Team No. 12, leader of Team 12, eleventh out of fifteen guardians selected for the protection of one of the ancient scrolls that was given to the Stealth Rams by the leader of the Land of Mist. And as far as I know, I sent her to a vacation not so long ago."  
  
"Okay, okay, we get the point! Now, can you cure her or not?!" Naruto shouted, panicking.  
  
"Erm..." Yamatari mumbled, "Unless you show me what I sent her yesterday. It's a scroll, to be more precise, it's a scroll that permits her to return to the Stealth Rams in... I don't know, 6 days? You see, even if you ask Sakura to cure or look after a fellow Stealth Ram, she's trained to ask for evidence first. Even if it has to be her best friend. Even if I ask her to guard me, she must ask for an evidence. So I, as a Stealth Ram, asks an evidence from Haruno."  
  
Sakura opened her eyes and was shocked to see her boss.  
  
"Hello, Haruno." Yamatari greeted.  
  
"Yamatari-sama! What are you doing here?!"  
  
"I should ask you that question. What the hell are you doing in this hospital?!"  
  
"Am I in the hospital...? And why can't I move my body?"  
  
"Oh that. You were poisoned. And I'm asking for evidence, young lady. I'm asking for that scroll I sent you yesterday. YOU STILL HAVE IT RIGHT?"  
  
"Naruto." Kakashi called out, "Get the scroll."  
  
"But sensei!" Naruto whined, "I don't know where it is!"  
  
"Haruno?" Yamatari glared at the dying pink-haired girl.  
  
She whispered, "Naruto... It's inside my bedside drawers back in my house... Uhm.. It's a white scroll..."  
  
"I'm on my way! Hang on, Sakura!" Naruto said as he left and used the window as an exit and leaped on the branch of the tree near it and left.  
  
"Can we go now, honey?" Ino asked, tugging Sasuke's arm.  
  
"Where are your manners, young lady?" Yamatari shouted sharply and threw five shurikens on the floor just near Ino and Sasuke's feet.  
  
"No one leaves until this Stealth Ram is cured. Understand? That is a command!!!" she continued and gave them a chilly and scary stare.  
  
"Did you see that?" Kiba asked Shikamaru.  
  
"She just threw those five shurikens in a split second. She's really good." Shino added. 


	5. Revealing: Stealth Ram

Naruto returned with a scroll in his right hand. He entered through the window and he panted for a while. He threw the scroll to Yamatari. She grabbed it and rolled it open. A quill appeared on her right hand and wrote something. She rolled the scroll to seal it and she placed the scroll on the bedside table.  
  
"Haruno." she muttered.  
  
"Anything, Yamatari-sama." Sakura replied. Yamatari removed her hands from being crossed and she removed her jacket. She smirked and snapped, "Don't move. Close your eyes and focus your chakra, alright? If you don't do what I say, you'll get hurt." Sakura shut her eyes tight and Yamatari disappeared. Suddenly, kunais appeared out of nowhere and surrounded Sakura.  
  
Sasuke watched steadily.  
  
_And what the hell is he looking at?! He should look at me! I'm going to be his wife! Not that irritating Sakura!!! _Ino muttered inside her head while looking at the shurikens near her feet, _And that Yamatari... Annoying!!!  
_  
Yamatari appeared at the side of Sakura and placed a hand where Itachi bit her.  
  
Yamatari grabbed a kunai and stabbed the marks of the venomous pattern that Itachi left Sakura. The senseis' eyes widened so did the students. Sakura's blood was flowing endlessly and Yamatari made hand signs and the wound disappeared.  
  
She grabbed her jacket and wore it again. She placed the kunai that she used to Sakura near Sakura's scroll and gave that scary glare at Ino and Sasuke, "You have my permission to leave. And I don't want my ninja dead next time I see her, got it? Especially you, you blonde-haired girl, I don't like your attitude. Better change that because if you don't, you don't know what I can do to you. To the senseis, you can take all of my kunais off later at 12:00, midnight. She should be fine."  
  
"Thank you, Yamatari." Kurenai said.  
  
"Hmph. Whatever." Yamatari mumbled and took the kunai beside Sakura's scroll and looked at it. It still has Sakura's blood on it. She shot mental daggers at Ino with another frightening look. The kunai that Yamatari was once holding suddenly disappeared and then reappeared, attacking Ino's direction. Sasuke pushed Ino away and the two fell on the floor.  
  
"Consider it as my first warning." Yamatari told them, "I really don't like people with rotten attitudes. Nobody must ignore the presence of a Stealth Ram, especially the Stealth Rams' captain! So, if I saw you dragging that spoiled attitude with you again, I would give you my second warning. And after I give my second warning, three days later after that glorious day, I might send Haruno to assassinate you. GOT MY WORDS SCREWED AND DRILLED IN YOUR HEAD, BITCH?"  
  
Ino felt anger rising inside her and just nodded to avoid fights with her.  
  
"I'M LEAVING BEFORE I LOSE MY COMPOSURE AND GET SOME BASTARDS KILLED. YOU JUST DO NOT WANT TO KNOW WHAT I CAN DO." Yamatari yelled and left.  
  
"She sure is moody." Ten-Ten mumbled, frightened after what happened.  
  
"Correct." Kakashi said, "Iyasuko Yamatari is one of the least persons you want to end up fighting with. If you go to the Land of Mist, they call her the Unforgiving Soul. For some reasons, once you made her angry, she can remember you in all her life and she can't forgive you for anything that offended her."  
  
"Ino, I think you should give up on that attitude." Shikamaru warned.  
  
"Oh please, shut up! Sakura was also busy killing and assassinating people for the past three years, too! And Hokage-sama will be pretty angry once she hears about this!" Ino shouted and stood up.  
  
"Don't try to change the subject here, Ino." Asuma spoke, "It's also your fault that you got blackmailed or something like that by a Stealth Ram."  
  
Sakura fell into tears since she was awake and she was hearing this. Ino still remained as her best friend, so she didn't like hearing these kind of things. She shot her eyes open and yelled,  
  
"STOP IT!!! STOP IT, PLEASE!!! I don't like everyone fighting just for one reason... Please, stop this nonsense! You just don't know who's getting hurt here..."  
  
"We're sorry, Sakura-chan." Hinata whispered although she didn't do anything.  
  
"Aurgh! And you even pretend to feel sorry for this, Sakura?!!" Ino shouted, approaching her bed. Sasuke absent-mindedly followed his arrogant wife-to-be and Ino continued...  
  
"I know that you're laughing at me deep inside you!!! You enjoyed the time when your boss stung me and protected you and herself with those words!!! Sakura, you're not a friend at all!"  
  
She was about to slap Sakura but Shino and Kiba appeared infront of her stopping Ino from slapping Sakura. Sakura's eyes looked away and tears began falling rapidly from her eyes and bit her lips to say no more.  
  
"Ino, we can leave now." Sasuke told Ino who was struggling to get free from Shino and Kiba's grip. Ino and Sasuke were able to leave her room.  
  
"Sorry for Ino's rudeness, Sakura." Asuma said apologetically.  
  
"I'm very sorry for Yamatari-sama's recklessness, then, minna." Sakura mumbled as she wiped her tears.  
  
"You don't need to be sorry, Sakura-chan," Hinata replied, "you have no faults."  
  
"Demo, is it true that you have been killing and assassinating other people for the past three years?" Naruto bellowed.  
  
"Sort of." Sakura answered, "But we don't kill and assassinate innocent people. The objective that the ninja organization, Stealth Rams, was formed because our primary mission and vision which is to clear out those who are wanted for their wrongdoings."  
  
"That ninja organization was established nearly 29 years ago. As far as I know, Yamatari is the only child of the founder of the organization, Iyasuko Hidenori. Her father also had a nickname in the Land of Mist. If she is the Unforgiving Soul, Hidenori is the Phantom Punisher, mostly recognized for his amazing speed." Kurenai added.  
  
Kakashi butted in, "So you see, Sakura's job isn't easy."  
  
"Err..." Gai stummered, "Kakashi, you did get an invitation to join the Stealth Rams a decade and 3 years ago. Then why'd you refuse their offer? Asuma and Kurenai were also invited but why didn't they invite me?"  
  
"Because the Stealth Rams also send spies for new ninjas. And if only you weren't kidding around, you would've been invited. I refused the offer because I wasn't interested in killing and kicking bad butt." Kakashi answered his rival while reading his book, Come Come Paradise.  
  
Kiba asked Kurenai, "Sensei, why did YOU refused the offer?"  
  
"Hmm?" she said, "Same reason."  
  
"How about you, sensei?" Shikamaru pointed at Asuma.  
  
"Same reason."  
  
Three days later... 


	6. When Destiny Gives You The Chance

Sakura was back at her house and she opened the scroll that Yamatari edited and it says...  
  
"Sakura, make your right decision. I don't want you to choose the wrong path."  
  
"No I won't, Yamatari-sama," she said beneath her breath, "certainly not. That is not an option for a Stealth Ram like me. I choose to go on with my mission."  
  
She popped the scroll inside her drawer and stretched her arms.  
  
_Three days left... Should I tell them that I'll be leaving soon?  
_  
Somebody was knocking at her door. She ran downstairs and shook her head to drain out her thoughts. Her hair followed her every move and finally, she arrived at the door. She flung it open and her eyes widened with what she saw.  
  
"Sa... Sa... Sasuke?!" she muttered. Sasuke had that serious look in his face and she had the curious look with a mix of confusion.  
  
"Come in." she said, putting herself together. _What the hell is HE doing HERE?!  
  
_Sasuke went inside her house and she closed the door gently. He sat at a couch and she sat on an armchair on the right side of it.  
  
"So..." she spoke, "What brings you here?"  
  
"I'm so sorry for Ino's actions yesterday I think she was jus-"  
  
"I forgive her." Sakura said as she looked away, she was also stabbed with Ino's words; killer... assassin...  
  
"Are you leaving soon?" Sasuke continued.  
  
"In three days. It's a must for someone like me."  
  
"So you aren't attending MY wedding? Is Ino your rival again?" Sasuke asked as he became angry with her. She felt horrible and just gave him a sharp look, pretending that she doesn't have feelings for him anymore.  
  
"I'm a Stealth Ram. I cannot refuse to do my duty. And else, how'd Ino get into this convers-"  
  
"It doesn't mean that you're a Stealth Ram, you can frantically ignore me! Ino is going to be my wife and she offered you to be her maid of honor! If you do love me, you can at least attend my wedding!"  
  
Those words pulverized her shattered heart. She stopped her tears from falling. And she replied...  
  
"Sasuke, please understand that I have a job now. And my job is very important! And I'm not ignoring you! And... And... And I'm really sorry if I can't attend your wedding!"  
  
"Can't you ask your damn boss to give you a day off?!"  
  
"I can't! I just can't..." and she fell into tears. She wiped her tears and sighed.  
  
"In all these years, Sasuke, I thought that it was the two of us that will get married. When I was doing my job as a ninja... my job as a jounin... my job as a Stealth Ram... I thought of you. If you were getting enough sleep, if you're doing fine being the subordinate of Kakashi-sensei and Hokage-sama... Almost everything. When Yamatari-sama told me that I can have a vacation, the first thing that popped in my thoughts was you. I was so excited to see you again but... When I arrived here, you told me you're engaged. I thought you were going to say, you're engaged to me. But I can't believe you turned your back on me."  
  
"You left for three years, Sakura! For heaven's sake, that's 3 years! How can I manage to stand alone?!"  
  
Sakura was then furious.  
  
"You broke your promise! Before I left, you told me that you'll wait for me, no matter how long it will be! If you suffered those 3 years without me, I suffered more than you did! Oh yeah, I forgot... You're not the type of man who waits. You're impatient."  
  
"So what if I am?! After two years that you left, someone finally placed the sun back in my life, it was Ino. And she was way better than you, so I decided to marry her. So, I'm taking her side if the two of you'll fight again."  
  
"I've heard enough. I'm not the woman for you. You made the right choice." Sakura said, calming herself. She wiped her tears and stood up,  
  
"I respect your decision, Uchiha Sasuke. I respect your beliefs and I have no right and the will to fight against it. Our chat is done."  
  
"Fine! Be that way!" Sasuke urged and stood up. Sakura opened the door and placed her hand near the door (just like what butlers do) and spoke, "You may leave my house." Sasuke left her house immediately and spoke no more. She closed the door and fell on her knees. Her hands formed fists on the floor and tears were falling on the floor, too. Her long, pink hair, covering her face and she cried endlessly.  
  
Sasuke also felt horrible as he walked home. Suddenly, a cold, wet thing rolled down his cheeks. He stopped walking and touched his face,_ Am I... crying?...  
  
_"Sakura! Sakura! Sakura, open the door!!!" Hinata and Ten-Ten shouted as they pounded their hands on her door. No one was answering. Hinata and Ten-Ten looked at each other. Hinata nodded and Ten-Ten placed her hand on the doorknob. She turned it and flung the door open. They can hear sobs upstairs. Hinata closed the door and the two went running upstairs. They found Sakura crying and sobbing on her bed. Not only that, the room was in total disgrace. The vases were shattered, items on the floor, blanket crumpled near the bedroom door and books lying open, away from the bookshelf plus, pillow feathers scattered all over the place. Hinata and Ten-Ten approached their very depressed and sad friend. They both sat next to her.  
  
"Sakura, stop crying." Hinata said, removing her pink hair from her wet face. Ten-Ten placed her hand on Sakura's back and patted her, "What happened?"  
  
"Ten-Ten-chan, Hinata-chan... He abandoned me and I'm history forever!" Hinata and Ten-Ten looked at each other while poor Sakura was still weeping. 


	7. Decisions Being Made and Done

"Sakura..." Ten-Ten comforted, "It's just 3 days away... If you leave, you're done and he lives his own way. Once you're gone, the misery will be all over."  
  
"I agree with Ten-Ten-chan." Hinata said, approvingly.  
  
"But you can't just remove the person you loved for all your years just like that!" Sakura managed to speak and caught her breath, "It's hard for me to take!"  
  
"Stand on your own feet." a voice said. Hinata and Ten-Ten looked in all directions. Then a cloud of smoke appeared near the bookshelf. It was Sakura's boss, Yamatari.  
  
"Haruno." Yamatari continued, "Continue your duty as a Stealth Ram and you'll forget him eventually. You must learn to stand up on your own feet and fight on your own stage. Who said life was fair and was a bed of roses? Life is always and will forever be unfair to every creature in the planet. Life can be a burden that stabs you with misery. It's really like that."  
  
Yamatari approached Sakura and the topaz-eyed woman grabbed a chair and shooed off the feathers on it and sat, "We will help you forget about that Uchiha Sasuke and we will mold you into an independent jounin. But as of now, you can cry. You have to cry and show emotions as of now, let all your sadness get out from your already broken heart. And tomorrow, you'll be fine. He's out of your head." Yamatari crossed her arms and leaned on the back of the chair when suddenly... THUD!  
  
The back of the chair snapped and she fell head-first on the floor with the other half of her body still on the chair, "What amazing furniture you have, Haruno." she mumbled as a lump grew on her head.  
  
The next day...  
  
"Sasuke!!!" someone shouted on the Uchiha residence's door. Sasuke opened the door and it was a blonde-haired, foxy boy named Naruto.  
  
"Can I come in?" he asked. "Sure." Sasuke replied. "Oh, we have a visitor, Sasuke-kun?!" Ino said with that smile pasted on her face. They all sat down. Sasuke and Ino were sitting on a black couch while Naruto was sitting on a black armchair.  
  
"So what brings you here?" Ino asked.  
  
"Sasuke, better make up your mind while you still have the chance. Sakura's leaving in two days. In two days, she'll leave Konoha and head for a harbor outside the village at 4:30 in the afternoon." Naruto said.  
  
"I made the right decision. She also said that she respects my decision." Sasuke answered. Ino grabbed the arm of Sasuke and grinned, "That's right, darling!"  
  
"Whatever you say, Sasuke. I did visit Sakura-chan a while ago and Hinata- chan and Ten-Ten-chan were also there, too. Uhmm... Did I mention Ino's new enemy also stayed over Sakura's house? Well... They stayed there to keep Sakura company so that she won't go insane. She caused havoc inside her room yesterday so the only way they can help her is to stay with Sakura-chan."  
  
"And so? What do I care?" Sasuke nastily replied. Naruto placed his hands behind his head and muttered, "Doesn't matter. Just think about your decision. This is the chance that fate gives you and the remaining thing that can change your future. Oh, and for your info, Sakura kills and assassinates only the bad guys, fellas. So Ino, consider yourself having an F on a test."  
  
"Oh man, I'm sooo damn hungry. I'm going to the ramen shop. Hmm... what ramen should I have for today?" he mumbled.  
  
Naruto stood up and left. Ino looked away and then stared at the onyx-eyed hunk.  
  
"Is there something wrong?" he asked.  
  
Ino looked on the floor then back at his onyx eyes.  
  
"It's very rare that Naruto says something as fatal and as serious as that." Ino spoke, "I agree with him. Marriage is a serious matter. You have to choose who really is the right one for you."  
  
(((ACK! TOO SHORT!!! But fellas, fellas, I have my own reasons for that. Hehehe, the next chapter would be the last. Mwahahaha!!! choke choke Don't worry, I assure you readers would get that pairing [SasuSaku] that you demanded. Heck, I wouldn't name this a SasuSaku fic without those two! Reviews please and thank you!))) 


	8. The Finale at the Horizon

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Naruto. I only own the Stealth Rams, Iyasuko Yamatari, Iyasuko Hidenori and the other contents in this fic (and the fic's previous chapters) that can't be found in the Naruto series. Back to the story...  
  
Ino looked on the floor then back at his onyx eyes.  
  
"It's very rare that Naruto says something as fatal and as serious as that." Ino spoke, "I agree with him. Marriage is a serious matter. You have to choose who really is the right one for you."  
  
"Holy shit, you too?!!!" he yelled, shaking the hands of Ino off of him and stood up and faced the window with his hands in his pocket.  
  
Ino sat up properly and continued, "Sasuke-kun, I just want you to choose properly. If you choose Sakura, I can return you the engagement ring that you gave me, if you choose me, the marriage is going to continue. Sasuke-kun, you only have two days left... And... And even if I said those harsh words to Sakura, she still shared a part of my precious and my most treasured memories. Don't worry, if you choose her, I won't feel bad." Sasuke glared at Ino and just kicked a chair and went upstairs. Ino looked at the broken chair on the floor and sighed.  
  
The next day...  
  
"Sakura. Your last day to stay in Konoha. Tomorrow, we'll leave. Make sure you get enough sleep, you get enough practice and be sure to eat well. I don't want you sick for the next missions. Just get rid of the memory of Sasuke, okay? Shake it off now. OH, would you look at the time! Unfortunately, I've to go. Girls, take care of this ninja, alright? Fine, fine, gotta go! JA!" Yamatari said as she bade goodbye. She opened the door and vanished in a puff of smoke.  
  
"Sakura, are you okay now?" Hinata asked Sakura who was spinning a kunai at her index finger. "I'm fine. I'll just go and... train. You may leave now." Sakura told them and stood up. She opened the backdoor and went out and practiced. Hinata and Ten-Ten shared glances at each other and just shrugged. "She's gonna be fine, I think." Ten-Ten said. The two left the house. The phone rang and Sakura threw the last shuriken on a tree. She grabbed the doorknob and went inside. She answered the phone,  
  
"Hello. Haruno Sakura here, who is this." she said lifelessly.  
  
"Sakura! It's me, Ino."  
  
"Hey." Sakura greeted again, with no emotions.  
  
"Look, I'm sorry with the words I told you last time an-"  
  
"Yeah, yeah, sure, whatever. I forgive you, Ino-san. I've to hang up now, I'm very busy."  
  
"Wait! Saku-"  
  
"Bye." she said and placed the phone down. She went back to practice.  
  
The following day... (4:27 in the afternoon...)  
  
Sakura was at the gates of Konoha. Her Stealth Ram uniform (traditional ninja outfit), her pink hair braided and things packed in a huge shoulder bag. Her kunai and shuriken packs were also visible on her, too (what'd ya expect?!).  
  
"Sakura, when will you come back?" Hinata asked. Hinata, Ten-Ten, Shikamaru, Neji, Kiba, Shino, Naruto, Kakashi, Kurenai, Asuma, Iruka and Gai were there, too.  
  
"It depends. Yamatari-sama will decide that for me." Sakura answered with a weak smile, still carrying that awful memory.  
  
"Neh neh, Sakura-chan." Naruto asked, "When you come back, be sure you'll stay longer, okay?" She grinned and answered, "Why not?"  
  
"Sakura, are you sure that you're leaving? Just to make sure you've no regrets." Kurenai told her.  
  
"This is my decision. And it's my job, you know. I love my work and sure, I've no regrets."  
  
"Sakura, it's already 4:32 in the afternoon. Your ship's about to leave." Kakashi warned. "Well then, gotta go! Sayonara, minna-san."  
  
"Take care, Sakura-chan!" Iruka said. She waved her hand at them and walked away. She can hear the horns of the Stealth Rams' ship. She arrived at the harbor and she looked at Konoha. _Am I doing okay? _She reached for her scroll in her bag and she heard her captain, "HARUNO SAKURA!!! GET YOUR BUTT IN HERE, THE SHIP'S LEAVING IN SIX MINUTES!!!" Sakura sighed and closed her eyes until...  
  
"CHOTTO MATTE, SAKURA!!!"  
  
She immediately turned around only to see Sasuke running to her.  
  
"What are you doing?! Ino will be angry at you if you-"  
  
"No, Sakura. I made my choice. Ino and I won't get married anymore. It has to be you and me." Sasuke told her. Yamatari stood on the ship, watching them. She had that right hand on her chin, the other on her hip and with that smirk glued on her face, _Now this is good a scene I don't see too often. Let me see..._  
  
Sakura can't find the words to say and just mumbled, "But Sasuke... I don't understand."  
  
"Sakura, aishiteru."  
  
Her eyes widened and tightened her grip on her scroll. She protested, "Sasuke, I have to lea-" Sakura was cut off short when all of a sudden, Sasuke kissed her. Her friends were still at the gates of Konoha and had a smile on their faces. Ino was there, too. Sasuke was still kissing Sakura and Yamatari grinned, _Neat. This is such a nice moment to see.  
_  
Sasuke broke the kiss and got a ring from his pocket and knelt infront of her, "Sakura, will you marry me?" Sakura cried with tears of joy and said, "Are you serious?"  
  
"Do I look like I'm playing a prank on you?" Sasuke answered with that smirk on his face. Sakura mentioned, "Yes, I'll marry you." Sasuke rose to his feet and inserted the ring on her left ring finger. He kissed her again and they hugged each other. The ship blew its horn and started to move. Yamatari shouted, "HARUNO!!! YOU'RE RETIRED FROM THE STEALTH RAMS!" They broke the kiss and and Sasuke answered, "IS THAT AN ORDER, MA'AM?!" "For your wife-to-be's sake, it's indeed an order. Have a nice wedding!" Yamatari replied. Sakura threw her scroll and Yamatari was able to catch it. "No one's leaving now." Sakura whispered and they smiled at each other.  
  
The ship was now far away and they hugged each other.  
  
"Sakura," Sasuke bellowed, "thank you."  
  
"Hmm?" she questioned, "Thank me? For what?"  
  
"For not deserting me. For being my wife-to-be."  
  
"Sasuke-kun, I love you, too."  
  
And with another kiss, the sun started to set in the horizon. It was a lovely moment for the two, a lovely moment... Indeed...  
  
_...I guess that's the way life shall go from now on with two of us. We got married after a week and who knows what happened next? The two of us had four children and I'm a housewife and he's still working as a jounin for Konoha. But for now, I'll savor this moment for the rest of my life. Being with the one I love forever... I wish that moment never ended. Yup, my love life was like a fairy tale... A dream that came true for Sasuke-kun... And for me...  
  
**-Uchiha (Haruno) Sakura- **_


End file.
